Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer's songs evoke relaxed, lyrical, and whimsical Midwestern and southern takes on American people and American life.

Johnny Mercer and Hoagy Carmichael came from states of laid-back, rural charm and wrote songs that spoke to all of us.

Mercer was primarily a lyricist, Carmichael primarily a writer of melodies, and both men were different in many ways than their East Coast songwriting counterparts – a difference reflected in the music they wrote together and with others, which evokes relaxed, lyrical, and whimsical Midwestern and southern takes on American people and American life. Often the songs were underlined by a nostalgic longing for a place that embodied these notions—what Mercer and Carmichael, in one of their earliest songs, called “Moon Country.”

“Moon Country” features classic Carmichael-Mercer songs such as “Skylark,” “Lazybones,” and “How Little We Know,” performed by Louis Armstrong, Helen Forrest, and others, as well as several obscurities and unreleased recordings – Mercer and Carmichael demoing “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” for a movie that was never made (it ended up being used in Frank Capra’s Here Comes the Groom and won the duo an Oscar for Best Song), Carmichael doing a late-period collaboration called “A Perfect Paris Night,” and Eddy Arnold singing one of the last new Hoagy-Johnny tunes to be waxed in their lifetime – “Song of Long Ago,” with a Mercer lyric that nostalgically invokes “Stardust.”

Afterglow founding host Dick Bishop also joins us again to talk about the Carmichael-Mercer relationship.

Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, David Brent Johnson moved to Bloomington in 1991. He is an alumnus of Indiana University, and began working with WFIU in 2002. Currently, David serves as jazz producer and systems coordinator at the station. His interests include literature, history, music, writing, and movies.

Subj: Moonglow with MartinAs a Teen starting at the Uni of Nebr in Lincoln, I used to listen to Poole's Paradise. About 1947, He left WWL & Dick Martin took the time slot. While Poole clowned with sound effects, Martin came on with smooth Jazz. In 1956, I moved to San Francisco. I could no longer receive Moonglow. The last that I heard Moonglow was when I visited in Santa Cruz; had to be between 1958 & 1961.

Steve Martin

Thank you for your kind words about my father, Dick Martin ( aka Moonglow with Martin). He loved his audience, and hoped his work brought joy to you. – Steve Martin/Baton Rouge, La.

M. Eaton

As an aspiring teenage jazz musician in the late 1950's I would drive around the countryside outside of Kansas City, absorbing every note, every comment on Moonglow with Martin. Great memories.

Ruth Laney

Steve, are any of your dad's shows preserved in any format? I fondly remember his WRKF show, which, as I recall, opened with the greeting, “Hello, old friend.” I loved his mellow voice. He is remembered and missed here in Baton Rouge.

Charles Winstanley

Hi Steve…Your father use to work for me first at WJBO-FM and then at WQXY-FM, which I put on the air in 1965. Your father was a marvelous gentleman of the broadcasting business. I sold WQXY in 1970 and moved my broadcasting business headquarters to Florida. Carlie and I were in New Orleans in 1982 and we went to the Blue Room for a Four Freshman show. We spent the evening with Dick and the Freshman after two shows that we will always remember. I still miss him to this day.

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